Goliathus
Goliath beetles ( Goliathus regius ) Klug, 1835
The Goliath beetle ( Goliathus ) are a genus of beetles of the subfamily of the rose beetle ( Cetoniinae ) dar.
Description
Goliath beetles can reach up to ten centimeters in length. The color of the chitin carapace varies depending on the species of Goliathus orientalis is white with black grid pattern on the wing covers ( elytra ) and some black spots and stripes on the thorax. Goliathus goliatus has dark reddish brown elytra. The thorax is black with some thin white stripes. The head is extended with a small extension on which is a bifurcated horn in males. The antennae are very short and thicken at the end of a mace.
Dissemination
The beetles are native to West and Central Africa where they inhabit rain forests and tree savannas. The nocturnal animals usually sit on the trunks and branches of various trees, from whose juices they feed. With a Larvalgewicht of up to 110 grams of the Goliath beetle is the heaviest insect ever. Dead bugs are very popular among collectors and fetch high prices on the market. The larvae are up to 15 centimeters in length very large relative of us known grubs. They live in and of dead wood. These large grubs are greatly appreciated in Central Africa by the population as sources of protein in the diet. After pupation hatch within four weeks of the beetles, and then live for about three months.
System
There are five types of Goliath beetles, of which partially different subspecies and forms have been described.
- Goliathus goliatus (Linnaeus, 1771)
- Goliathus albosignatus Boheman, 1857
- Goliathus regius Klug, 1835
- Goliathus cacicus ( Voet, 1779)
- Goliathus orientalis Moser, 1909
There are also on the Ivory Coast nor a natural hybrid of Goliathus regius and Goliathus cacicus, referred to as Goliathus atlas ( Nickerl, 1887) and according to their origin any kind, but a Klepton ( participle neuter to Greek κλέπτω - klepto = steal ) is ( See also pond frog)